2014 NFL Draft Guide

The draft is finally here! It feels like this offseason is going by so slow!! I’m losing my football-loving mind!! The draft always quenches my dry football thirsty soul. I will admit though that the hype surrounding this years’ draft has been worst than most years. I certainly won’t miss the constant hypothesizing.

First thing we’re going to do is talk about the rules of the draft, what goes on, and how it goes on. Second, I’m going to provide the link where you can view this years’ draft order. There might be a third, but I haven’t thought of it yet. I reserve the right to make up a third.

An interesting tidbit is that the NFL requires a player be out of high school for at least 3 years before being eligible to enter the draft. If you’re into useless trivia you’ll be interested to know that the first draft took place February 8, 1936. The first pick of the first draft ever was Jay Berwanger. He was picked by the Eagles who then traded him to the Bears, but he never signed with them because Berwanger wanted a salary of $15,000 and the Bears’ owner George Halas was only willing to pay him $13,500. So he took a job at a rubber company. Berwanger later said he regretted not taking Halas’ offer.

There are 7 rounds in the draft, which means each team gets a total of 7 selections when the draft is completed. This usually isn’t the case however since draft picks have been used as a currency of sorts. Draft picks can be attached to players in trades or if a team wants a player bad enough, they will give the retaining team certain picks in exchange for the player. If a player is an RFA (Restricted Free Agent), the original team gets compensatory draft picks if they decide not to retain rights and allow them to sign with another team. Teams can trade draft picks, unless they are compensatory picks. The draft order is determined by which team sucked the most the previous season. So, the Super Bowl Champions get last pick.

Here is something you’re going to hear often in relation to the draft. There is a difference between an overall pick and a pick where they put a number in front of it. For example, if Clowney is taken 1st in the 1st round, he is the 1st overall pick of the 2014 draft. If De’Anthony Thomas is taken as the 1st pick in the 2nd round of the draft, he is still a number 1 pick, just not the overall number 1 pick. He’d be the 33rd overall pick. So if somebody is the 5th overall pick of the draft it means they were taken as the 5th pick in the first round. See how that works? I seriously hope I didn’t confuse the heck out of you.

There is a time limit that each team gets to make their selection. If they fail to make their selection in the allotted time, the team behind them can turn in their selection and essentially move ahead of the idiot late team. The time limits are as follows:

Round 1 – 10 minutes

Round 2 – 7 minutes

Round 3 – 5 minutes

Round 4 – 5 minutes

Round 5 – 5 minutes

Round 6 – 5 minutes

Round 7 – 5 minutes

The draft is being held at Radio City Music Hall in New York. A lot of the players come to the actual event, but some of them decide to stay home and watch it with their families. From what I understand and have seen, the prospect will get a call from the owner, coach, or whoever, that tells them they want to draft them. The kid obviously says yes and everybody celebrates.

What I want to know is, what if your most hated team calls you? You have to say yes because it’s the NFL calling, but inside you’re lamenting the fact that you have to wear their ugly colors and live in a city you could potentially hate! There’s always the chance they’ll trade you (you hope).

OK so on to draft order. Click the link below and it will take you to the NFL’s website with the complete draft order. Take a look at where your team falls in the draft order and how many picks they get. If a team plays it right, they could clean up at the draft and really boost their team.

Congratulations to the Houston Texans who get first pick in this years’ draft! You were the worst team in the NFL last season, quickly followed by the Redskins! (A side note is that the Rams get the 2nd overall pick of the 2014 draft because the Redskins wanted the Rams’ 2nd overall pick of the 2012 draft so they could draft RGIII. In exchange for the Rams giving the Redskins their 2nd overall pick, the Redskins gave the Rams their first picks in the 2013 and 2014 draft)

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Pro Talk Writer: Erica

Erica Lynn Anderson is an author and contributor at gridirongirl.org. As well as an online radio and web cast cohost. In addition to writing the Universtiy of Washington, Pro Talk, and Fantasy Football columns, she also records a weekly video series titled "Are You Kidding Me?!?". She's passionate about football and believes it is perfection in motion. Getting to share her passion with the world is Erica's dream come true. She's been known to hold up lines and talk to random strangers about football. With 10 years of football experience, Erica is dedicated to helping every woman learn to love the game.